The media has been silent about the recent atrocities that are being carried out in Lybia against its own people. Through social media and second-tier news, it has come to knowledge that Lybians are being sold into slavery by their own 150 years after the abolition of slavery. Their images of human flesh huddled together like cattle, publicly displayed, examined and sold into slavery is an image that catapults us back to the evil era when such actions were deemed acceptable.
Slavery by its very nature discards devalues and distorts the human image that has been formed in God. To have people sold, displaced, abused and devalued in such a way demands world news attention and not the nominal marginalised media attention it is currently afforded. The silence of the media is deafening, and the cause of this is financial; as the bible says “the love of money is the root of all evil’. 1 Timothy 6:10
There is a social, economical, biblical, ecclesiastical responsibility that the church has to these victims and we would be duplicitous through our silence.
Jesus in his ministry spoke up for the disenfranchised, the marginalised and those whom society oppressed, suppressed or dehumanize.
I, the Lord, command you to do what is just and right. Protect the person who is being cheated from the one who is cheating him. Do not ill-treat or oppress foreigners, orphans, or widows; and do not kill innocent people in this holy place. (Jeremiah 22:3)
The world suffers a lot. Not because of the violence of bad people, but because of the silence of good people ‘. ~ Unknown
This week pray for those victims of this evil atrocity in Lybia. Pray for God’s intervention. However, you can also do something practical too. I implore you and those with You, please sign the following petition: “Put pressure on Libya to take action to stop the enslavement of Black Africans.” Available also online. Please note you can also write to your local MP seeking their support.
